One Last Time
by H7
Summary: Zelda, ten years after Link left (MM), finds herself thinking about him at almost every possible turn, regretting what she did. When she meets up with him again, will her mistakes have taken form? What will he say to her?. . .One last time. . .


One Last Time  
  
~*~  
  
Disclaimer: If any one thinks I own Legend of Zelda, or anything else this might be vaguely related to, you might just want to get yourself checked out. Think about it this way : If I owned Legend of Zelda, or anything important like that, why would I be writing a fanfic and get nothing for it while I could be doing something useful, like. . .Making a game with Nintendo where Link actually talks?  
  
This story has nothing to do with my other fanfics, except maybe it could be a sequel to Cruel Wisdom. And, I suppose, this would be what happened if Link did come back instead of getting sealed away in Trial of a Man, like an AU alternate ending. . .But, either way, this can be read on its own, or with all the others, either way it is the same. . .  
  
~*~  
  
I have seen so much now. . .So much. . .I remember things that most others have long forgotten. The battles with Gannondorf and his monsters, the near extinction of the Gorons by Volvagia. . .The journey of one boy to save his land. . .The same land that years later he disappeared without a trace, and has yet to return.  
  
Hardly anyone remembers Link now. Saria does. She remembers him so well that she cries each time his 'birthday' comes around. Apparently, when he was still young, she made up a birthday date for him, so he would feel. . .Normal.  
  
Malon most likely doesn't remember him. She hardly saw him, this time around, but I know that he remembers her well. He would be disappointed to know that she doesn't remember a thing about him, except for maybe his name and the fact that he has yet to return her horse. Malon can be a kind caring person, but she's also one of the most determined women in this world, I swear.  
  
Darunia knows Link's name, and who he is - was - but, I doubt the Goron leader has the time to even think about the young hero. As not only a Sage, but a leader of the Gorons, he has little time to himself. While I have people under me to take care of the smaller matters while I concern myself only with the larger problems, he has no one.  
  
Ruto seems to have given up all hope of not only ever seeing him again, but of marrying him, as well. She long ago found a spouse, a handsome young Zora - as handsome as a Zora can get - and after a long courtship, they wed. I wonder if she was waiting - stalling - in hopes that Link would come back? Or, was she just being careful? I don't know, nor do I even have the right to ponder such questions.  
  
Narbooru never paid him that much mind, though I am sure that she does think of him occasionally. It has been quite busy for her over the last three or four years. It's been what? Ten years since I last saw Link, in that courtyard. I had again taught him the Song of Time, my memory of the future was hazy, at best. It was not more than six months after he left did I remember everything. . .As did the rest of the Sages. We had all forgotten, due to the strong, intoxicating mystics of Time itself.  
  
I wonder how Link managed to remember. I know that when I saw him again, there in the courtyard, he knew something I didn't. I know now, what that was. There had been so much pain in his eyes. . .Now that I remember that sight, I just want to break down and cry for him, relentlessly.  
  
I can't. . .I'm a Queen now, and I can't show sadness, or remorse, lest the morale fall. . .  
  
But I want to so bad. . .  
  
Even now, I'm not alone. A handful of my closest, most trusted guards and I are traveling across the plains, heading towards the Kokiri Forest. I need to see Saria now, and it's so hard to get a hold of her in any other way than myself phsically going over there and talking to her. Now. . .Now she is so distracted by so many things that she's closing up to the rest of the world. I've been trying to keep her open, to help her cope with the loss of her best friend, but. . .  
  
It's been ten years. I wonder if I should just let her mourn and grieve? Let her get over it naturally?  
  
Heh. I wonder too much these days. . .  
  
I look up from the dusty beige of my horse, up at my surroundings. I am surrounded by five guards, one in front, two behind, and one on each side of me. They are very wary of our surroundings, but I have no fear. This is Hyrule, and as strange as it sounds, when Link left, the evil seemed to have followed him. Now, instead of a war beaten country, I rule nothing more than a peaceful nation.  
  
Good, yes, but very boring.  
  
Impa isn't here, which is a bit of an oddity. She usually won't leave my side for anything. . .Nothing at all.  
  
She never cared much for Link. She always thought it was cute when I sent him off as just a child to gather the Spiritual Stones to 'save' Hyrule. Beyond that, she thought him a bit useless, I suppose. He wasn't a Sheikah, and thus wasn't the greatest at the arts of stealth, a big thing to the Sheikah. . .Even when he came to her temple at the very end, only hours before he would set off to destroy Gannon, she still gave him almost no respect. Now, I doubt she would even be able to remember his name, were it not for how often I mutter it under my breath.  
  
I shake my head from my thoughts, trying to achieve at least a ghost of a smile. It's a bright sunny day, hot and heavy, stuffy. It is nice, though, riding the horses on even such a day as this. I don't leave the castle much anymore. I'm just too busy. But now that I can see the green grass and the vibrant blue of the skies, I wish I could come out far more often. The castle is indeed a sight to see, but the outdoors are far nicer. Cleaner, more natural.  
  
Reminds me of him. . .  
  
I just wish it wasn't quite so hot.  
  
We trot on, our horses going at an easy canter across the plains, and we are making good time. It is hardly even mid day, and yet to our far right I can see that we are level with Lon Lon ranch. I smile vaguely, all is going well, though I don't know what I'll say to Saria when I arrive. I don't want her to be sad, but I'm afraid I don't have much of a choice but to slap her with the truth. That there is nothing we can do. That we should just wait. Maybe he will come back one day.  
  
But after ten years. . .?  
  
"Your Highness," the guard before me, Alex, turns about on his horse and faces in my direction, "There is something up ahead. Do you want us to go and check it out?"  
  
I peer around him, ahead at that lone tree that stands near the edge of the plateau. There, leaning against the tree is a figure, possibly a man. Yes, a man, sitting down on the ground, leaning againstt the tree. He is colored darkly, and I can't see his face, but I can tell there is something wrong.  
  
/That man is injured./  
  
My eyes widen, and with a quick flick of the reins, I maneuver the horse in between the guards on my left and in front of me. For one moment, they can only watch me as I speed towards the injured man, shock on their faces from my unexpected move. Soon, of course, they do follow, as all good guards should do. Protect the Queen, and all th-  
  
/Nayru. . .That can't be. . ./  
  
I continue forward, forcing my horse to run at a speed at which he has never gone before. I don't care. If that is Link, I can't just take my time. I can tell. . .The air around him. . .He's injured. . .very, very injured.  
  
A cloud of death surrounds him. . .  
  
I pull my horse up short, causing the poor beast some fright and he rears, but I'm already off his back by then. Grabbing the fragile waist of my dress, I scurry towards the weakened hero, slightly glad to see that at the sound of my footsteps, he looks up, if a bit weakly.  
  
However, it's the look in his eyes that scare me the most.  
  
Horrors and nightmares dance through them, even now during his wakefulness. He might be delirious, but that doesn't soothe me. Wherever he has been, those old evils that left with him have not left him alone. Terror and fear have gripped those eyes so many times, as has hate and pity, and yet. . .And yet he manages to smile back at me, looking almost as if he expected to see me.  
  
"Zelda. . ." he mutters, and I rush over to him, putting one hand behind his head to support his neck. I am horrified to feel how cold and shaky he is, as if in the thralls of illness. I shake my head.  
  
"Link? What happened?" It is so strange to see him dressed like this. . .All in black, with a dark brown cloak, "Where are you hurt. . .?" He doesn't answer me, and he doesn't need to. I find the wound quickly enough. All of them. cuts and gashes line his chest and stomach like bizare arcane symbols. . .all hidden underneath the folds in his loose clothing. . .  
  
I don't think I can cure this. . .  
  
"Nice to see you again. . ." he says, his voice somewhat foggy and croaked, "Though I was hoping. . .Malon would show up. . ."  
  
"Link. . .I-" I try so hard to tell him that she doesn't even know him, that she doesn't remember the love they once shared, that he would be alone and disappointed in such a relationship but the words escape me, ". . .Where have you been?" Tears scratch and gnaw at my eyes, begging to be released.  
  
I refuse.  
  
He smiles again, more a smirk than what I used to see on his face, so long ago, but it is surprisingly fitting, "Many. . .many places. Y-you don't want to know. . ."  
  
"Try me," I state, my eyes harding as my face tingles, the urge to cry increasing with the amount of effort it is taking him to breathe. I just want to let it all out, drop the facade, cry out to him that I am sorry for what I did before, to put him in this position. I bought Hyrule's freedom with his life. . .  
  
"Hell and back," he mutters, his eyes fluttering slightly, weariness descending on him like a hawk, but he fights it off. I smile thinly, wishing for so many things to change. . .  
  
"Why didn't you come back?" I ask, trying to keep up my fake smile. . .and failing miserably, and yet Link is able to keep up his, even though he's on Death's door.  
  
". . .but I did. . ." he mutters, taking his eyes off of me to look around, taking in everything he can, his smile widening, though his eyes remain haunted and sad, ". . .I've gone so far. . .and yet. . .Hyrule is the l-loveliest of them all. . ." His breathing strains more, and I find myself with fear pounding away in my heart. I give him a light shake, to bring him back to himself, but he just stares at me, his eyes full of thought.  
  
". . .did I ever. . .tell you how pr-pretty. . .you ar. . .are. . .Zel. . .?" His body goes limp, eyes rolling back into his head, and I do nothing more than lay his body down on to the soft grass, watching the tender blades bend with his weight. I get up, slowly, and take a step away, staring at his dead body, tears gathering finally at the corners of my eyes, and I finally drop the mask, falling to the ground sobbing. . .  
  
"No, Link, no. You never did. . ." I cry, my knees hitting the ground hard, leaving grass stains that I'll catch hell for, but I don't care. . .Link is dead, dead on this hot summer day. . .  
  
No, it shouldn't be a sunny mid day afternoon. . .It should be pouring as the Heavens cry for the loss of their hero, weeping with golden tears. . .  
  
I move back towards his side, not bothering to stand up. Curse those grass stains, and to hell with the maids and Impa. . .How am I supposed to stand, when there is no one to support me. . .?  
  
As I approach, I see the scars on his face, on his neck. . .He has seen so many battles. . .and after so much, he died here, today. Today, of all days. A steamy hot summer day in the middle of no where. Not surrounded by friends. . .I put my hand into a pouch around his belt, and immediately I find the object I was looking for.  
  
The song pours out from the blue instrument like a song of the wind itself, and in the breeze that comes before the storm, I smell the scents of wildflowers, followed by new rain fall.  
  
The Heavens shall cry, and so will I. . .  
  
~*~  
  
A/N: Hoped you liked it and all, please review so I can get your opinion. I thank you all for reading this, and have a good night!. . .Day. Whatever. 


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